Monday, March 31, 2008

Cool Stuff: Orla Kiely Housewares

I was poking around a bit this weekend on the freshly redesigned website for London-based designer Orla Kiely, and found several things for my ever-expanding and increasingly mythological Wish List. (I've said it before and I'll say it again: Damn the U.S. dollar for being so weak that it makes almost all of the loveliness coming out of the UK these days utterly out of my reach!)

Of course, Ms. Kiely is best known for her gorgeous bags and clothing -- but I tend to salivate over the home goods.

Take a look:

Patterned Notebooks, 16 to 20 pounds sterling (about $32 to $40) each

Flower Oval, Multi Flower Abacus, and Scribble Stem mugs, 10 pounds ($20) each

Multi Stem Shade, Flower Abacus Shade, and Flower Blossom Shade, 95 pounds ($190) each

Stem Print Blanket, 235 pounds ($470)

Stem Print Cushion, 165 pounds ($330)

Big Tulip and Rowan Tree wallpaper, 60 pounds ($120) a roll

My product lust was whipped up to such a degree, though, that I did finally bite the bullet and order a roll of Orla Kiely's Flower Blossom Wallpaper, which I'd been pining over for awhile. (I got it from Anthropologie, where it's a comparatively affordable $88 a roll.)

I'm going to showcase a few lengths of it with the Poster Hanger system from Rare Device, and I may back a trio of bookshelves in our living room with the paper as well. (Other ideas for using wallpaper in novel ways? Lemme know.)

Check out the Orla Kiely site -- and get your own mythological Wish List started -- right here.

7 comments:

Pigtown*Design said...

Every time I contemplate going back to the UK, I just freak out! Everything there is expensive to start with and then when you more than double the cost... EEEK!

T8 said...

I love the wallpaper, but I am deathly afraid of it. I have too many bad memories of bad wallpaper and too many good memories about how good it felt when it all came down in a big goopy mess.

Thoughts?

T8
http://www.strangeclosets.com

Leah said...

Hi T8,

I think that when it comes to wallpaper, small doses are key -- using wallpaper in limited ways, keeping the scale of the design on the larger side, and making sure the rest of the room doesn't have too much going on so the paper is the focal point in a sort of spare space.

Others, what say you about using wallpaper in a modern way?

Leah

Anonymous said...

I thought this designer was from Ireland, not England

Leah said...

Anon. -- she is Irish, but is based in London.

Leah

Anonymous said...

I was waiting for her paper collection to hit the US and I was finally able to get some at vivigirlshop.com. I'm so excited!

Unknown said...

I would love to purchase this paper but it is sold out now at both Anthropologie and Orla Kiely. Has anyone seen it elsewhere? My google searches aren't turning up much. Thanks.

 

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